THE BRAD RICHARDS SITUATION:
The absolute first and foremost task at hand is what to do with Brad Richards. The 34-year old center has just finished the third year of a nine-year, front-loaded contract with the Rangers. However, he has six years remaining on his current deal with a huge cap hit of $6.67M per year.
Despite what many Rangers fans will tell you, Richards has been a nice player for them. Now, he hasn't played like a player that earns the high cap hit he's signed to, but he has not the disaster some have made him out to be. In the two full seasons he's played with New York (excluding the lockout-shortened 2013 season), Richards has totaled 107 points.
Granted he's had his share of regular season success, his postseason resume while with New York has been less-than-stellar. His brightest moment came in his first season when he scored the tying goal in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2012 with 6.6 seconds remaining in regulation:
In two playoff appearances since, Richards' has seen his role to diminish to a healthy scratch under former coach John Tortorella in 2013 and a demotion to the fourth line in this prior season's Stanley Cup Final.
On Tuesday, Richards' agent Pat Morris told Sportsnet's Fan 590 that he has a "gut feeling" the Rangers retain Richards.
I honestly see no possible way Richards returns to Broadway next season in a Rangers sweater. Listen, I like Richards, but as they say, this is a business. It's nearly an impossibility the Rangers can keep Richards because of the length of the contract, the huge cap hit he's responsible for and the many holes the Rangers now have on their roster.
This is also the final year NHL clubs can use their two compliance buyouts on any player on their roster. The Blueshirts have already used one to get out of Wade Redden's horrendous contract and it makes perfect sense to use their second on Richards.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:
Should the Rangers use their "get out of jail free" card on Richards, the $6.67M cap hit can and should be used on four of their restricted free agents: Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello and John Moore.
The Rangers absolutely need each one of them back and it starts with Kreider. Finally out from playing under Tortorella, Kreider has begun to emerge as the star he was portrayed to be while he played his college hockey at Boston College. He put up 37 points in an injury-shortened regular season before returning to the team in the postseason.
Out of the four, Zuccarello is the most due in line of a pay raise. The 5'7" Norwegian had a major coming out party this past season leading the team in assists (40) and points (59) at a minuscule $1.15M cap hit....a bargain any team in the league would sign up for.
Brassard was a key contributor to Zuccarello's success as the two of them, along with Benoit Pouliot, formed the most consistent line for the Rangers throughout the season.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:
Pouliot is among the many unrestricted free agents I'd love to see return to the Garden along with Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman, Dominic Moore and Raphael Diaz.
Pouliot was the definition of a bargain buy in free agency last season as he signed a 1-year, $1.3M contract and really played well in the second half of the season and into the playoffs. While he took a stupid amount of offensive zone penalties, Pouliot flourished at times in Alain Vigneault's offense.
I don't see the Rangers retaining Boyle or Stralman as I expect them to seek raises and bigger opportunities elsewhere. Boyle has even publicly stated he's looking for "more responsibility."
A last-minute, trade deadline acquisition, Diaz saw limited action but showed he can move the puck well on the power play. Also, should Stralman depart, his right-handed shot on the blue line could be something the Rangers can ill-afford to lose.
NHL FREE AGENTS:
The biggest name on the NHL free agent market is Colorado's Paul Stastny. Coming off his best season in four seasons, Stastny has said he would like to stay with the Avalanche and Colorado has already offered him a multi-year deal. Regardless if Stastny stays with the Avs or not, his cap hit should hover around what Richards earned with the Rangers which would handicap the Rangers from keeping their depth. I doubt Stastny comes to New York.
It's actually hard to imagine the Rangers going after any of the major free agents this offseason, a move in which GM Glen Sather is well known for, just because it might be financially impossible. Going for lower cost players and depth while keeping most of the current roster might be the smart play this summer.
Should Richards get bought out, that'd leave a void at center, which could be filled by Dave Bolland. Bolland missed much of last season with an injury, but is a solid player that could bring Stanley Cup experience as he's won two with the Chicago Blackhawks.
I'd also like to see the Rangers take a look at wingers Radim Vrbata and, if affordable, former Islander Matt Moulson.
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